Spyro and Cynder: Feline Hearts
by Lyreice
Summary: Ever wondered how Spyro and the others would act if they were cats? Well that's what this story is all about. Spyro is a little kitten who one day finds a black kitten named Cynder. After that things get really crazy for our hero. Read on to find out.
1. Chapter 1

In a large city there was a small house with a light blue roof. In the house lived a fluffy light blue cat with a pale blue underbelly, and ears, and pure sapphire blue eyes that were at the moment starring lovingly at her three kittens.

One was a fluffy smoke gray male, with a brown underbelly, and ears, and light brown eyes. The second kitten was a sleek dark blue female with a light blue underbelly, and ears, and eyes the same shade of blue as her mothers. And the third kitten was sleek purple with a golden yellow underbelly, ears, and tail tip, and his eyes were the same color as his fur.

"Meow, meow, meow, meow." The purple kitten rambled starring at the kitchen door.

"Spyro, what are you doing?" The blue kitten asked.

"I'm trying to speak the human tongue so they'll bring us food." Spyro meowed not taking his eyes off the door.

"That'll never work." The blue kitten meowed shaking her head. "We can't speak human."

"Oh come on Lyreice, there's no harm in trying." Spyro meowed. Just then the door swung open and a tall scrawny human wearing all black walked into the room carrying two bowls of cat food. "Ha, see." Spyro meowed as the human set one of the bowls of food in front of him and Lyreice.

"Okay that was just dumb luck." Lyreice protested as Spyro started eating. "Hey Leo are you gonna come and eat?" She asked looking over at the gray kitten.

He was grooming himself when he meowed. "In a minute." Between licks. "I still haven't gotten rid of all the dirt from my fur from when we were let in the garden."

"Fine I guess Spyro will just eat your share of the food again." Lyreice taunted poking Spyro's round belly.

"Don't worry Leo, Spyro wont eat your food. He learned his lesson the last time." Their mother meowed.

"Yeah your share's safe." Spyro meowed through a mouth full of food. "But I can't say the same for Lyreice's." He added sticking his head back in the bowl.

"Stay away from my food!" Lyreice hissed.

"Lyreice don't hiss at your brother." Their mother scolded. "And Spyro leave your sister's food alone."

"But I'm still hungry." Spyro whined backing away from the bowl.

"You can have some of mine." Their mother offered. "I never eat it all anyways."

"Wow, thanks mom!" Spyro exclaimed dipping his head into her food bowl.

"Mom you really shouldn't let him overeat like that, he'll just get fatter than he already is." Leo meowed walking over to the food bowl Lyreice was eating out of.

"He's not fat." Their mother meowed. "Besides I love my chubby little Spyro, there's so much of him to hug." She jumped on Spyro wrapped her paws around him and squeezed.

"Mom, stop I'm eating." Spyro protested trying to get free.

"Is food that much more important to you than your own mother?" Their mother asked sounding hurt.

"No that's not what I meant." Spyro meowed quickly. "I just meant… let me swallow first."

"In that case." She squeezed again. "Now come here you two, I wonna give all my kittens a great big hug." Lyreice and Leo immediately obeyed and ran into their mother's embrace. She held them tightly for a long moment then released them saying. "Now finish eating it's almost bed time."

They all quickly finished eating then jumped into a soft white basket. They all curled up next to each other then their mother jumped in and curled around the three of them. Soon they were all fast asleep.

"How dare you turn on me!" Spyro turned around to see a vary large and muscular shaggy purple cat with a dark yellow underbelly and ears, and piercing yellow eyes. "Gaul restrain him."

Something smacked Spyro in the side of the head knocking him off his feet, then something heavy landed on his back making it imposable to move, but he struggled anyways. "Keep that up and I'll kill you right now." Hissed whatever was on his back.

"Get off me Gaul." Spyro growled. "Before I make you regret it."

"You don't scare me." The weight growled.

"I warned you." Spyro growled suddenly feeling a strange kind of energy travel through his body. There was a sudden sound of rock breaking followed by Gaul yowling in pain. The weight on Spyro's back shifted and he was able to throw Gaul off.

"So you've learned all the elements as well." The purple cat growled.

"Yes Malefor I have." Spyro growled back. "It's in my blood and the blood of my children." What am I saying?

"Silence Gaul!" Malefor hissed. Spyro hadn't noticed that Gaul was still yowling. He looked around and saw a shaggy and muscular white cat with one brown eye and the other eye a green crystal was lodged blood oozing out from all around it. He was whimpering in a corner. "For damaging my most trusted warrior you will not leave here alive."

"No Malefor, I came here to kill you and I don't plan on dying till Its been done." Spyro growled.

_You kid I know you can hear this._ Spyro heard a voice say, but when he tried to look for the owner he found he couldn't move his head or eyes. _I have something vary important I need you to do, so listen carefully. Outside your house past your garden there's an alley. I need you to go there and protect what you find but whatever happens don't lose what's there no matter what happens, do you understand me_?

What's going on, who's that monster? Spyro asked in his head.

_Just do what I told you and at least some things will be explained._

"Don't ignore me!" Malefor hissed jumping at Spyro.

Spyro woke with a jolt smacking his mother in the nose with the back of his head. "Ow, Spyro what are you doing?" She asked.

"I- I had a bad dream." Spyro meowed shakily.

"Oh are you okay?" She asked concerned.

"Yeah, it was scary though." He meowed feeling better knowing that he was always safe when he was near his mother.

"What happened in it?" She asked.

Spyro wanted to tell her but something told him not to involve her, at least not yet. "No I'm Fine." He meowed instead.

"Well okay." She meowed reluctantly. "Just try to go back to sleep then."

"Okay." He meowed lying his head back down.

"Good night son." She meowed lying her head against Spyro's back.

"Good night." Spyro mumbled knowing he was going to have anything but. The scary purple cat was always there whenever he closed his eyes.


	2. Chapter 2

Spyro didn't get anymore sleep that night he was to afraid that if he did those two cats would be waiting for him, so instead he fidgeted around continually waking the others. By the time the human brought them breakfast he was utterly exhausted.

"Spyro aren't you going to come and eat?" Lyreice asked sitting by the bowl.

"No, I'm not hungry." Spyro replied through half closed eyes. Everyone gasped.

Their mother rushed up to him and placed her paw on his forehead. "You don't feel hot." She meowed, worry obvious in her voice. "Do you feel sick?"

"No, I'm just tiered." He meowed, feeling light headed.

"Are you sure?" She asked licking him between the ears.

"Yeah, I just need a little sleep." He mumbled.

"Then go take a nap, and stop bugging us." Leo grumbled.

"Leo, don't be rude." Their mother meowed. "But he's right Spyro, I want you to go back to the basket and take a nice long nap."

"Okay." Spyro mumbled. "He walked back to the basket, his mother on his heels, and jumped but didn't quite make it; he fell back and landed on his bottom.

"Oh Spyro." His mother sighed. She bent over and, using her teeth she grabbed his scruff and jumped into the basket. "There we go." She meowed setting him on the white fluff.

"Thanks." Spyro meowed feeling a little embarrassed that he couldn't make it up on his own.

"Don't worry, Lyreice doesn't have to know." His other meowed, seeming to know what he was thinking. "And neither does Leo." She licked his head and then jumped out of the basket, leaving Spyro alone to sleep.

Spyro was still afraid to go to sleep but he was too tired to stay awake, so he lied his head down and fell asleep.

_Get to the alley now or you'll lose everything!_

Spyro woke with a jolt and swung his head back and forth looking for the cat that made the noise but nobody was around. What was that? He wondered Wait the voice last night told me to go to the alley, was that the same voice and was it threatening me, or warning me? Whichever one it was he didn't want to find out. He was going to the alley.

Spyro crawled to the edge of the basket and looked out to see his family was still eating. I must've only been out for a few minutes. He thought.

He, as quietly as he could, slunk out of the basket and crept toward the back door. He got there undetected and slipped out a clear plastic flap onto a shaded gray concrete patio looking out over a lush green garden with low cut grass, small bushes with flowers that ranged in all shapes, sizes, and colors; there were tall leafy trees and against the brick walled fence large hedges grew.

Spyro loved the garden it always smelt so fresh and clean; and he loved the sounds of the birds chirping, and wind blowing the wind chimes creating a melodic ringing. He found the garden the most calming place in the world to be which always made it easier to think.

How am I going to get over this wall? Spyro wondered walking across the lawn. When he reached the hedge he wondered if he could just climb the branches. He gave it a try and they just broke under his weight making him fall right back down on the ground. "I need to stop eating so much." He sighed.

I obviously can't jump it and I'm not strong enough to climb the tree. Spyro thought. How did mom keep getting out? He started walking around the garden looking for anything that could help him escape.

After a few minutes of searching Spyro realized he was still extremely tired, but he couldn't let that stop him, he had to get to the alley and protect his family. That's when he noticed something brown on the other side of the hedges.

His curiosity and need for a way out made him have to find out what it was. He tried to squeeze between two hedges and It worked until about halfway through when he got caught between some branches. Okay I can get out of this. He thought digging his claws into the ground. He pulled himself forward and came tumbling free right to the other side.

Spyro found that the little brown thing he saw was actually a large brown gate.

"How am I supposed to get through that?" Spyro moaned. Then he noticed a small break at the bottom. "That might work." He quickly scrambled up to the gate and through the hole.

The other side wasn't what Spyro expected. Instead of grass and trees there were concrete walls and stone floors. There were no birds singing and he couldn't stand the smell of these big black bags, they smelt like his litter box only a lot stronger, and the sun felt a lot hotter without any trees for shade.

"Now I need to find that alley." Spyro mumbled when he suddenly realized something that he hadn't thought of till now. "What is an alley anyways?"

"Who are you and what are you doing in my home?" Spyro looked up to see a black cat with a pink underbelly, silver ears and tail tip, and beautiful aquamarine eyes, which she was using to glare at him from on top of a large stack of boxes. Spyro felt too afraid to answer her. "Who are you?" She repeated jumping down the boxes toward him. At one point she misplaced a paw and fell, tumbling down the rest of the way. She landed on her chest right in front of Spyro. "Ow." She groaned.

Now that she closer Spyro could see that she was only a kitten, probably younger than him since she was a little bit smaller. "Are you okay?" He asked all the fear of this kitten gone.

"Yeah I'm fine, that kind of thing happens all the time." The kitten meowed getting to her paws. "Wait, why am I telling you that, you're my enemy." She growled jumping back but she was right under Spyro so instead of a clean jump back she smacked the back of her head into his nose.

"Ow." Spyro meowed rubbing his nose.

"Oh I'm sorry." The kitten meowed apologetically. "Does it hurt?" She asked.

"No, it just kind of stings." Spyro meowed, still rubbing.

"Well don't rub it, that'll just make it worse." She meowed pulling his paw away from his nose.

"You have pretty eyes." Spyro meowed hardly realizing he said that out loud.

The kitten stared at Spyro a curious look on her face. "You're a house cat aren't you?" She asked.

"Of course I'm a house cat." Spyro meowed. "Aren't you?"

"Do I look like a fat little house cat?" She asked. Now that she mentioned it Spyro found that she looked a little thin.

"If you're not a house cat what are you?"

"I'm an alley cat, duh." She meowed like it was obvious. "Why else would I be in an alley?"

"This is an alley?" Spyro exclaimed making the kitten jump.

"Of course this is an alley." She growled. "What did you think it was?"

"I thought it was a stone garden." Spyro chuckled self-consciously.

The kitten started laughing. "You really a house cat… what was your name?"

"Spyro."

"Well it's nice to meet you Spyro, I'm Cynder." The kitten meowed.

"It's nice to meet you too." Spyro meowed. "Wait 'nice' to meet me? A moment ago you wanted to attack me."

"Yeah well that was before I realized you were just a fat and harmless house cat." Cynder meowed poking his belly.

"Well at least I'm not a klutzy little alley cat." Spyro countered.

"I'm not klutzy." Cynder meowed indignantly. "I just haven't learned how to properly balance yet."

"Yeah sure." Spyro meowed rolling his eyes.

"Oh shut up." Cynder growled swiping a paw at him. She missed and fell forward, her face landing in his chest.

"I know what you're thinking, fluffy right?" Spyro asked comically.

"What are you doing here anyways?" Cynder asked obviously looking for a change in subject.

"Oh yeah." Spyro meowed remembering he was on an important mission. "I need to find something or something bad is going to happen."

"What does it look like?" She asked.

"I don't know." He replied. "Just look for something important looking." He added ripping open one of the bad smelling bags.

"Yay, I love vague treasure hunts." Cynder meowed sarcastically ripping open another bag.


	3. Chapter 3

"Ugh, Spyro we've been searching for an hour and haven't found your whatever." Cynder groaned pulling her head out of a black bag. "And look at my alley it's a complete mess."

Spyro looked around and noticed she was right the alley was completely covered in garbage. "Heh sorry." He apologized. "I just really need to find it."

"How can you say that if you don't even know what it is?" Cynder asked.

"I was told to find it, so I'll know it when I see it." Spyro replied ripping open another bag and sticking his head in it.

"Who would tell you to your quiet comfy house and search a dark dank alley, and not even tell you what you're looking for?" Cynder asked sounding annoyed.

"I don't know it was just a voice I heard in a dream." Spyro meowed just realizing how crazy that must sound.

"So you had a dream and then decided to sneak out of your house and search for something hat probably doesn't even exist?" Cynder asked not seeming to care. To embarrassed to show his face Spyro kept his head in the bag and wiggled his tail in reply. "You house cats are so strange."

"You've met other house cats?" Spyro asked curiosity overtaking embarrassment. He pulled his head out of the bag to see Cynder grooming herself.

"No you're the first." She replied rubbing a paw over her head. "But my dad's met a lot of them."

"Your what?" Spyro asked not understanding the word.

"My dad." She repeated.

Spyro looked at her feeling confused. "What's a dad?" He asked.

"What do you mean?" She asked not understanding the question.

"What's a dad; I've never heard that word before." Spyro explained.

"A dad is the male adult of your family." Cynder explained looking at him like he was purposely being thickheaded.

"Well then I don't have a dad." Spyro meowed. "It's just me, my mother, my brother, and my sister."

"You wouldn't be here if you didn't have a father; maybe you should ask your mother about him." Cynder suggested.

"Yeah I guess I'll have to." Spyro agreed. "But right now I need to find the thingy." He added shoving his head back in the bag.

"How about we do something fun instead?" Cynder meowed. Spyro felt something drop on his back. He hissed in surprise and tried to shake it off. "You're going to have to try harder than that to shake me off house cat." Cynder meowed playfully from on top of him.

"Not funny Cynder." Spyro meowed. "I thought you were the big white cat from my dream."

"Aw, are you scared of the boogiecat?" Cynder mocked jumping off of Spyro.

"N- No there's no such thing." Spyro meowed nervously. "Is there?"

"There is." Cynder meowed seriously. "My dad told me about him. He's a big scary purple cat and they say those that see him are destined to die."

"I saw him in my dream last night too." Spyro gulped.

"Than that explains why he's right behind you!" Cynder exclaimed. Spyro screamed and jumped into the bag. "House cats are so easy to scare." Cynder laughed.

Spyro poked his head out of the bag to see that the only living thing in the alley was Cynder, who was laughing at him. "That wasn't funny." Spyro meowed sliding out of the bag.

"Who are you kidding, that was hilarious." Cynder meowed swiping something off Spyro's head.

"Aw look at the little kittens having fun." A gnarled voice meowed from above them. Spyro looked up to see a big red cat with a yellow underbelly, purple ears, and condescending yellow eyes, jump down into the alley.

He was closely followed by a sleek red kitten with a puff of yellow fur on top of his head; he had a yellow underbelly, orange ears, and red eyes. He only looked a little older than Spyro.

"Who are you?" Cynder growled lowering herself into a crouch, the fur on her neck standing up.

"I am Red." The red cat meowed politely. "And this is my son flame." He added pointing his tail at the kitten. "Cynder we've been sent by your father to bring you to him."

"That's a lie!" Cynder hissed glaring at them. "If my father wanted me he would've come here himself, not send some housecat reject." Spyro wondered why she called him that until he saw the tight worn collar that hung from his neck.

"Don't you dare call my father a reject." Flame growled dropping into a crouch.

"Does this mean you won't come easily?" Red asked calmly.

"That means I won't be going at all." Cynder growled.

"Oh well." Red sighed. "Flame restrain her." At Red's command Flame jumped at Cynder slamming right into her and knocking her over. She recovered quickly; rolling to her feet she slashed at Flame with her claws. He easily sidestepped it causing Cynder to lose her balance. He took the opening and kicked both his back feet into her side. She fell on her back the wind knocked out of her. Flame then jumped on her and put his teeth to her neck. Cynder didn't struggle knowing she had lost.

Spyro stood there utterly shocked with how quickly Flame had beaten Cynder. Flame, on the other hand, looked quite pleased with him self until Red meowed. "That was sloppy; you left way to many openings and you should have finished it faster. If you have such a difficult time containing a kitten, a female kitten non-the less, how will you ever make me proud?" After that speech Flame looked completely depressed.

"I'm sorry." Flame mumbled his mouth still on Cynder's throat and judging by Cynder's disgusted expression she either was disgusted such a wimp beat her so easily, or Flame's tongue kept pressing against her neck.

Spyro couldn't take it anymore. "Get off her!" He exclaimed jumping at Flame. Red stepped in the way and smacked him aside with ease.

"Don't get in our way." Red growled pressing his claws into Spyro's back. "Or else." He tuned away and started walking. "Come Flame."

"What about her?" Flame asked lifting his head.

"Drag her; I don't want her trying to run." Red ordered.

"You're not taking her anywhere!" Spyro growled tackling Flame and making him stumble off Cynder.

"You little runt." Flame growled shaking Spyro off.

"Flame, he was warned, show him we're always serious." Red ordered grabbing Cynder's scruff with his mouth before she could try to escape.

"Yes sir." Flame meowed slashing at Spyro with a forepaw. Spyro just barely got out of the way in time.

"Don't hold back." Red growled around Cynder's fur.

"Just run Spyro!" Cynder exclaimed as Spyro tried to strike back at Flame who easily dodged it.

Before Spyro could try again Flame ran around him and racked his claws across Spyro's flank. Spyro yelped in pain. Fighting's harder than I expected. He thought.

"Please Spyro get out of here." Cynder begged. "I'll be fine you won't be if you keep this up."

"I'm not going anywhere till I know you're safe." Spyro growled feeling an intense heat rise up in his body.

Flame swiped at Spyro's face again. Spyro found it much easier to dodge this time like Flame were moving slower than before. Spyro took the moment Flame rebalanced himself to strike his face, claws extended, leaving tiny claw marks on his muzzle.

"You let that ball of fat scratch you?" Red hissed, dropping Cynder. "And you dare call yourself my son."

"That was a fluke, it won't happen again." Flame meowed preparing to jump at Spyro.

"That's right it won't." Red growled stepping In front of Flame. "Because I'm going to finish this, you watch the target."

"But dad I can handle this." Flame meowed.

"No you can't or you would've killed him already." Red growled.

"What do you mean kill him?" Flame asked shocked. "He's only a kitten."

"And a house cat." Cynder put in. "He can't do you any harm."

"Yeah dad let's just take Cynder and go." Flame meowed.

"No!" Red hissed raking his claws across Flame's face leaving deep cuts that had already started to bleed. "This fool must pay for his interference."

Spyro ran up to Red, flipped around, and used both his hind legs to kick him directly in the jaw with as much force as he could muster. There was a loud crack followed by Red yowling in pain. "I don't know how a father is supposed to act but I know you're doing it all wrong." Spyro growled, the heat in his body growing more intense.

"How dare you attack my father!" Flame hissed crouching down.

Spyro was about to tell Flame what a horrible father he had, but when he opened his mouth the heat in his body rose up his throat and out his mouth in a stream of fire. Flame hissed in surprise and jumped back. Spyro closed his mouth and the fire stopped but he could feel the heat rise up in him again.

"Get out of here before I blow again." Spyro growled through clenched teeth, afraid to open his mouth. Both Red and Flame, who were starring wide eyed at him, ran as fast as they could out of the alley. The moment they were gone Spyro collapsed his vision fading.

"Spyro!" He heard Cynder exclaim. Her felt something soft touch his forehead then quickly pull away. "You're burning up. Spyro? Spyro!"


	4. Chapter 4

"Cynder!" Spyro exclaimed jolting awake. He looked around and saw that he was back in his house lying in the white basket. Lyreice was sitting next to him, smiling.

"You just meet the cat and you're already dreaming about her." She meowed curling her tail around her paws in amusement. "It must be cat love."

"Where is she?" Spyro asked getting to his paws.

"If you mean Cynder she left saying something about needing to find her father, whatever that is." Lyreice meowed.

"Oh. What else did she say?" Spyro asked.

"Just some nonsense about you blowing fire and saving her from some strange cats." Lyreice explained. "Obviously she was disoriented from you squishing her."

"What do you mean I squished her?" Spyro asked not remembering squishing anybody.

"Well that's a long story and mom told me to tell her the moment you woke up." She explained. "The only reason she's not here right now is because Leo 'fell' down the stairs."

"Do you mean…"

"Finish that question and I'll count you as my accomplice." Lyreice meowed.

"At least tell me how I got back in the house." Spyro sighed.

"That's easy." Lyreice purred. "Your girlfriend jumped the wall."

"I mean it Lyreice." Spyro meowed.

"So do I." Lyreice meowed jumping out of the basket.

"How could she jump the wall?" Spyro asked jumping out of the basket and following Lyreice.

"I don't know how she did it I just saw her." Lyreice meowed walking toward the house's main entrance and the stairway.

"So you really pushed Leo down the stairs?" Spyro asked.

"Now you're my accomplice." Lyreice meowed. "Mom needed something to focus her worries on, so I just gave her something."

When they reached the stars Lyreice kept on walking and Spyro couldn't see Leo or their mother anywhere. "I thought you said you pushed him down the stairs." Spyro meowed.

"I never said I pushed him down anything." Lyreice meowed. "And besides these aren't the only stairs in the house."

"You pushed him into the basement?" Spyro exclaimed. "But Leo hates the basement."

"I know, it's great, the only problem is that I'm going to be in so much trouble."

"What if he really got hurt?"

"That would be even better." Lyreice meowed, a sparkle in her eye.

"There's something wrong with you." Spyro sighed.

"Finally someone gets it." Lyreice meowed as they reached an open door that lead to the basement.

"I'm going to have a vary long talk with your sister about this." Meowed a voice coming up the stairs.

"Why bother, she won't listen." Another voice meowed.

"Hey Isis, Spyro's awake." Lyreice meowed.

"Who's Isis?" Spyro asked.

"Mom told Cynder that was her name.

"But you, young lady, will still call me mom." Isis meowed reaching the top of the stairs. Leo, close behind her, was glaring at Lyreice.

"But Isis sounds so much prettier than mom." Lyreice meowed.

"Tell you what; if you promise to never pick on your brothers again you can call me Isis." Isis proposed.

Lyreice seemed to be thinking it over. "Not worth it." She meowed after a while.

"And here I was hoping for some peace." Isis sighed. "Where's Cynder?"

"She left." Lyreice meowed rolling her eyes. "She said something about her father, what is a father anyways?"

"That's not important." Isis meowed. "Lyreice I want you to help Leo back to the basket."

"But mom." Both Lyreice and Leo meowed.

"Now." Isis meowed in her serious tone.

"Fine." Lyreice sighed. "Come on." She meowed, leading Leo out of the room.

"Alright Spyro, why were you outside on your own, and on the other side of the wall no less?" Isis asked turning to Spyro.

"I just felt like exploring." Spyro meowed not looking her in the eyes.

"Spyro I'm your mother, and I can tell when you're lying to me." Isis sighed. "So please tell me the truth."

"I can't." Spyro meowed. He hated doing this to his mom but something told him it was still not the right time.

"Yes you can, you just choose not to." Isis meowed. Spyro stayed silent. "Alright if it's so important I won't ask I'll just wait till you're ready to tell me." Spyro looked up to see that Isis was smiling. "I trust you'll do the right thing when the time comes."

"What does that mean?" Spyro asked.

"You'll understand later." Isis meowed turning around and walking toward the living room.

"OH mom, I have one more question." Spyro meowed. Isis looked back. "Where's my father?"

"Just like you, I feel that's a secret you're not ready for." Isis meowed leaving the room.


	5. Chapter 5

"Hey Spyro, get up." Spyro opened his eyes to see Lyreice prodding him with a paw. "Your girlfriend's here."

"Cynder?" Spyro asked instantly awake. It had been three days since Spyro had first gone into the alley and even though he went there every day, with his mother's permission, he hadn't seen Cynder since. "Where is she?"

"Outside with mom." Lyreice grumbled. "Now go so I can get back to sleep."

Spyro jumped out of the basket and went out the back door. Outside he saw Isis and Cynder sitting under one of the trees and Isis seemed upset about something.

As Spyro approached he was able to hear what they were saying. "It was only a little accident." Cynder meowed.

"Little accident my paw, that looks deep and maybe even infected." Isis meowed trying to lick Cynder's right shoulder.

Cynder pulled away. "Just leave it alone, I'm fine." Cynder meowed. "Please, I need to see Spyro it's important and I don't have much time."

"I already sent Lyreice to wake him and since he's a hard sleeper we have some time so let me take care of that shoulder." Isis meowed.

"Why what's wrong with her shoulder?" Spyro asked making Cynder jump and Isis look up at him.

"Come on Spyro we really don't have much time." Cynder meowed turning in the direction of the broken gate.

Spyro noticed Cynder was limping. "Mom?" He asked looking at Isis. She nodded for him to go. He walked up to Cynder's right side and saw her shoulder had a deep scabbed up cut that had become extremely swollen and most likely infected looking. "Cynder what happened to your shoulder?"

"It was just a little accident I had a few days ago." Cynder meowed quickening her pace.

"Did it happen when we fought off Red and Flame?" Spyro asked matching her pace.

"I wish that was when it happened." Cynder meowed as they reached the bush Spyro originally crawled through. Cynder walked over to this small hole and easily crawled though it all the way to the other side. Spyro was surprised by her speed and flexibility. Not wanting to be shown up he tried to copy her. He found it a lot harder than he had expected it and was wondering how Cynder was able to do it so easily even with an injured shoulder.

Finally, after getting stuck a couple times, he made it to the other side. "Pretty good right?" He asked seeing Cynder smiling.

"Are all house cats so inelegant?" Cynder asked.

"That coming from the klutz." Spyro teased.

"I'm no klutz." Cynder meowed indignantly.

"Prove it." Spyro meowed.

"Fine, follow me." She meowed leading him under the gate and into the alley.

Spyro was surprised to see that the alley had been cleaned; all the trash on the ground and the black bags were gone, and all the brown boxes had been stacked together. "Wow what happened here?" He asked.

"Some humans came and cleaned it all up a few days ago." Cynder meowed. "Now watch this." She ran at one of the boxes and jumped up on it. "I don't think a klutz could do that."

"I guess you're not a klutz." Spyro conceded. "As long as you don't fall."

"I'm not going to fall." Cynder meowed shaking her rear at Spyro.

"I thought you had something to show me." Spyro meowed.

"Yeah it's- ahhh!" Cynder squealed as she fell off the box, landing on her back.

"Are you okay?" Spyro asked running up to her.

"Yeah I'm fine." She groaned rolling to her paws. "Come on, this way."

"Where are you taking me anyways?" Spyro asked following Cynder behind some boxes.

"There's someone I really think you should meet." Cynder meowed.

"Who are- ugh what's that smell?" Spyro gagged as he and Cynder approached a foul smelling hole in the ground.

"Yeah I know it smells bad but it's the fastest route to where we're going." Cynder explained. "It'll be fine, as long as you avoid the water." She added jumping into the hole.

"Now there's water too?" Spyro whined reluctantly following Cynder down the hole. Inside smelt even worse than outside and Spyro didn't like what he saw. He was in a long gray tunnel with extremely gross looking and foul smelling water flowing through it; and along each side of the tunnel were small pathways, one of which Spyro was gratefully standing on.

"Hurry up." Cynder meowed already a short distance down the tunnel.

"Wait for me!" Spyro called running after her. "Why are we in such a hurry anyways?" He asked when he caught up.

"Because he said he'd only wait a few minutes before he'd consider it a trap." Cynder sighed.

"What and why would he consider a trap?" Spyro asked.

"He'll explain the what and why's not important." Cynder meowed.

"Who will explain the what?" Spyro asked.

"Just wait and see since we're almost there." Cynder meowed.

"Almost where?" Spyro asked getting annoyed by Cynder's constant question dodging.

"Here." Cynder meowed, stopping in front of another hole and quickly climbed out of it.

What have I gotten myself into? Spyro wondered cautiously following her. He came out in another alley, but this one had three red brick walls, fewer boxes all stacked in a large pile against one of the walls; there was a giant metal box on wheels, and a pathway that led out of the alley to a long black path.

Cynder walked toward the boxes. "I brought him!" Cynder called.

"Alright I'm coming." A voice called from inside the boxes.

"Who's that?" Spyro asked keeping his distance.

"I am Ignitus." A red cat with an orange underbelly, orange ears, and red eyes announced stepping out of the boxes.

"He's who I brought you to see." Cynder meowed to Spyro.

"That would make you Spyro." Ignitus meowed, looking Spyro over appraisingly. "A little overweight but otherwise he looks quite healthy."

"What is he talking about?" Spyro asked looking at Cynder awkwardly.

"What's with you and all the questions?" Cynder groaned.

"Inquisitive, another good quality." Ignitus mumbled. "Alright let's see you blow fire."

"Why should I, neither of you have answered any of my questions?" Spyro asked.

"I'm sorry for that but I can't answer any of your questions until I'm sure she can be trusted." Ignitus meowed pointing his tail at Cynder who was avoiding eye contact with them. "And the only way to do that is for you to blow fire."

"What do you mean 'till she can be trusted'?" Spyro asked.

"A question that can not be answered unless you truly can blow fire." Ignitus sighed.

"Fine you wanna see fire, here's fire!" Spyro growled. He took in a deep breath and blew sending fire shooting out of his mouth. "Happy?"

"Yes vary." Ignitus purred. "Welcome to the world of fire, my young apprentice.

"Apprentice, what do you mean?" Spyro asked.

"I will be instructing you on how to use your fire ability so that makes you my apprentice." Ignitus meowed.

"Yeah, you said there was something that you were supposed to find and I think it was your fire." Cynder meowed. "It took me a while but I was finally able to find Ignitus; I told him about you and he agreed to help."

"At first I was reluctant, but she was persistent." Ignitus meowed. "Now come young one we've been here far too long we must leave before we're found." He meowed turning toward the black path.

"But I really need to get home before my mom starts to worry, and I'm sure my humans are wondering where I am." Spyro meowed.

"You never mentioned he was a house cat." Ignitus meowed looking at Cynder.

"I didn't think it was important." Cynder meowed.

"It makes things more difficult." Ignitus sighed. "Alright Spyro be here first thing tomorrow morning and we'll begin your training."


	6. Chapter 6

Spyro woke up in the basket, curled up next to his mother. He looked up at the window and saw the sun was just barely rising. Time to get going. He thought stretching the sleep from his body.

Silently Spyro crept out of the basket and slunk out the back door. From there he quickly dashed across the backyard to the hedge; he easily crawled through to the gate on the other side. Then he snuck into the alley and down into the smelly tunnel; Ignitus told him it was called a 'sewer'.

As Spyro traveled through the sewer he recalled all he had learned over his first week of training. So far Ignitus had taught him how to keep a fire going for several minutes on a single breath, how to move properly while blowing fire and, just recently, he started teaching him how to control the fire after he released it. He wasn't vary good at that yet, but Ignitus assured him no beginner ever was.

As for Cynder, Spyro was starting to really worry about her. She'd always come around everyday and watch him and Ignitus train and everyday he noticed how her shoulder was getting worse, but whenever anyone tried to help her she'd say deny them and say it was 'nothing'.

Spyro reached the end of the tunnel and climbed out into Ignitus' alley to see Ignitus sitting in the middle of the alley calmly licking a one of his forelegs.

"Hello Ignitus." Spyro meowed walking up to him.

"Oh young one, you're right on time." Ignitus meowed.

"Is Cynder here yet?" Spyro asked hopefully.

"I haven't seen her since she left yesterday." Ignitus meowed.

"Oh okay." Spyro meowed hopes dashed. "What are you gonna teach me today?"

"Today we'll start with battle training." Ignitus meowed.

"Battle training, what do you mean?" Spyro asked.

"I'll be teaching you to fight." Ignitus meowed.

"Fight, but I don't wanna learn to fight." Spyro meowed.

"And why not?" Ignitus asked curiously.

"Because my mom says 'fighting is wrong and violence is never the answer'." Spyro recited.

"If only that were true." Ignitus sighed. "Oh well, for now we'll respect your mother, so instead we'll practice your thinking ability."

"How will we do that?" Spyro asked.

"Hmm… I'm gonna have to think on that." Ignitus mumbled.

"I thought we were testing my thinking ability not yours." Spyro purred.

"Hey Spyro." Came a weak meow at the end of the alley. Spyro looked down the alley and saw Cynder slowly limping toward him and Ignitus. Her swollen shoulder looked even worse than Spyro expected.

"Cynder!" Spyro exclaimed as he dashed over to support her swollen shoulder. "Please let my mom treat that."

"No." Cynder meowed stepping away from Spyro. "I told you I'm fi…" She stopped talking and fell over, unconscious.

"Cynder!" Spyro exclaimed. He bent down and put a forepaw on Cynder's nose. It was dry and vary hot. "Ignitus, she's burning up, what do we do?"

"I know a cat that could help." Ignitus mumbled.

"Well then let's go." Spyro meowed urgently.

"There's the problem, I don't know where she is." Ignitus sighed.

"What, why not?" Spyro asked.

"Because I haven't seen her in months." Ignitus meowed. "Besides I doubt she'd even want to talk to me."

"Well is there anyone else?" Spyro asked urgently.

"Well there is one other, but I don't think he'll help." Ignitus meowed.

"Do you know where he is?" Spyro asked.

"Yes, but it's a long ways away." Ignitus warned.

"Then let's get moving." Spyro meowed. He wriggled under Cynder and stood up so she was lying on his back.

"Spyro let me carry her; it'll be faster that way." Ignitus meowed lying next to Spyro. Spyro carefully put Cynder on his back. "Now stick close, this could become dangerous."

"What do you mean?" Spyro asked.

"Because now we have to travel through enemy territory." Ignitus meowed walking down the alley Spyro following closely.

Ignitus led Spyro out near the black ground and turned right. Spyro followed quietly and quickly as Ignitus kept a constant pace tuning down alleys, down sewers, and through gardens Spyro had never seen before.

After two hours of traveling, Ignitus turned into an alley with blue walls. Spyro looked around the alley. In it were black bags on one side, a large metal container on the other side, and a bunch of cardboard boxes stacked against the back wall.

Ignitus stopped walking.

"Is this the place?" Spyro asked looking around for whoever they were looking for.

"I'm afraid so." Ignitus sighed.

"What are you doing here Ignitus?" Growled a shaggy blue cat with a purple belly, and ears as he stepped out from inside the stack of boxes, his ice blue eyes glaring at Ignitus.

"Cyril we need your help." Ignitus meowed lying down so the blue cat could see Cynder.

"What are you doing bringing her here?" Cyril hissed.

"She's hurt and needs help." Ignitus meowed.

"I don't care; just take her and get out of here." Cyril hissed. "I'll have nothing to do with her or the others."

"Please help her." Spyro pleaded.

"You brought a kitten with you? What, were you expecting me to be nicer because of him?" Cyril asked.

"I brought him yes, but I came because of him." Ignitus meowed. "He wants to make sure Cynder's okay."

"Then he obviously doesn't know her." Cyril scoffed.

"No he doesn't, so let's leave it that way." Ignitus meowed.

"Either you leave or I tell him everything." Cyril threatened.

Ignitus stood up. "Come on Spyro, let's go." He meowed.

"No." Spyro meowed firmly. "Cynder needs help and I'm not going anywhere till you help her." He meowed sitting down.

"I said leave; you have no right to try to force me to help." Cyril hissed.

"You have no right to deny helping her." Spyro meowed.

"You wouldn't say that if her father killed your sister, like he did mine. Cyril meowed.


	7. Chapter 7

"She's not dead!" Ignitus hissed whirling around to glare at Cyril. He spun around so quickly Cynder almost fell of his back.

"Then where is she?" Cyril asked a harsh growl to his voice. "It's been eight months and nobody's seen her."

"I don't care; she's not dead and soon enough I'm going to find her." Ignitus meowed, his voice filled with utter conviction.

"Go ahead and waste your time then, just do it far away from me." Cyril muttered. Turning away from them he slowly padded back to his box den.

"Wait, you still have to help Cynder." Spyro meowed quickly dashing in front of Cyril blocking his path.

"I already told you, I'm not helping that thing." Cyril growled. "Now move."

"Not till you help her." Spyro meowed stubbornly. Suddenly Cyril smacked Spyro aside using his forepaw. While Spyro lied on the ground, dazed by the attack, Cyril padded right past him.

Unable to think of another way to stop Cyril, Spyro took a deep breath and blew. A cold mist came out of his mouth and settled around Cyril's paws. A sheet of ice suddenly covered his paws and froze them to the ground as the mist dissolved.

"Hm, I figured you for a fire cat." Cyril muttered easily breaking free of the ice.

"He is a fire cat." Ignitus meowed padding up beside Spyro.

"Another one?" Cyril asked examining Spyro with a curious glint to his eyes. "Where'd you find this one?"

"I didn't, she did." Ignitus meowed shrugging his shoulders to draw attention to Cynder.

Cyril stood still for a short while. He seemed to be thinking about something. "I can't believe I'm doing this." He finally sighed. "Bring her in."

"Thank you." Ignitus meowed. "Come on Spyro." Spyro quickly got to his paws and followed Ignitus inside the box den.

The inside wasn't what Spyro had been expecting. Instead of being surrounded by cardboard, the walls and roof were solid ice. There wasn't anything inside except for a dark brown thing in the corner. Spyro just assumed it was a bed. Besides he was too caught up in his own thoughts to care.

"Ignitus, how did I blow ice?" Spyro asked as Ignitus padded over to the brown bed.

"I'm not sure as to that. Usually a cat can only use one element but you're the second cat I've met that can use more." Ignitus meowed.

"Who's the first?" Spyro asked.

"A question for another day." Ignitus meowed lying next to the brown thing. "For now, help me get Cynder in the nest."

"Okay." Spyro sighed. Carefully Spyro reached up onto Ignitus' back and took Cynder's scruff between his teeth. Slowly he pulled her off and laid her on the brown nest.

"Both of you go find a corner to sit in." Cyril growled pushing past Spyro. "How do you expect me to treat her with no room?"

Spyro followed Ignitus over to another corner of the room. He sat down and watched Cyril as he inspected Cynder's wound. "That fool, why didn't she get this cared for sooner?" Cyril muttered. He then opened his mouth and let out a huge burst of cold mist.

"What's he doing?" Spyro asked confused.

"Just watch." Ignitus mumbled watching the process closely.

Cyril stepped back as the mist disappeared to reveal a completely frozen Cynder.  
"Cynder!" Spyro exclaimed. He tried to run to her but Ignitus blocked him with his tail.

"Calm down; that's how ice cats heal others." He meowed.

"Give her an hour like that and she'll be as good as new." Cyril meowed padding over to Spyro and Ignitus.

"Thank you again." Ignitus meowed.

"You, come with me." Cyril meowed first looking at Spyro and then heading out of the makeshift den. Spyro looked at Ignitus who nodded. Reluctantly Spyro got to his paws and followed Cyril outside.

Outside Cyril was sitting in the middle of the alley, looking at Spyro expectantly. "Alright, use the ice again." He meowed.

Spyro knew there was no point to asking questions just yet. So instead he decided just to obey. He took in a deep breath of air and blew, but this time fire came out. "No you fool, with fire you blow, with ice you breathe." Cyril snapped. "Now try again." Again Spyro took a deep breath in but this time he just breathed out. A small mist came out of his mouth. "Good, now breathe harder." This process continued until Spyro could breathe the mist almost as long as he could blow fire.

Finally Spyro had become exhausted and needed a break. "You need a better endurance. In a fight you won't have the choice to take a break." Cyril meowed, his voice hard.

"But I don't want to fight." Spyro sighed. "My mom says it's wrong to fight and that anything can be solved without violence."

"That way of thinking is what got my sister killed." Cyril muttered.

"How did she die?" Spyro asked curiously.

"She went to try to end a stupid war and nobody's seen her since." Cyril meowed. "Ignitus is the only one that still thinks she's alive, but that's only because he doesn't want to give up on his mate."

"What was she like?" Spyro asked.

"You mean 'what is she like." Ignitus meowed from the entrance to the den. "She's a kind gentle cat who would never hurt anything. Not once the entire time I've known her has she ever hurt another cat."

"She sounds really nice." Spyro meowed.

"Really, to get a good idea of her personality just think of the exact opposite of Cyril." Ignitus meowed. "In other words she's smart, beautiful, kind, easygoing, and of course female."

"Hey, I'll have you know I'm the smart one." Cyril meowed indignantly.

"Then that must make you all fools." Meowed a scratchy voice at the end of the alley.

Spyro quickly spun around to see three large cats blocking the alley. The first one a brown cat with gray ears, he didn't recognize. The second was Red, his jaw looking puffy and swollen. And the third was the shaggy white cat from his dream.

"Gaul, what are you doing here?" Ignitus spat.

"Why I'm here to take little Cynder home of course." Gaul meowed menacingly.

"How'd you find this place?" Cyril asked.

"For that all I had to do was follow Ignitus." Gaul meowed smugly.

"You didn't make sure you weren't followed?" Cyril growled rounding on Ignitus.

"This isn't the time." Ignitus meowed tensely. "Can't you see this is what he wants?"

"I don't care; it's time I finally taught you to stay away from me." Cyril hissed as he suddenly jumped at Ignitus, claws unsheathed.


	8. Chapter 8

Ignitus crouched down and Cyril flew right over him. The moment his paws touched the ground he spun around and blasted a huge mist. It hit the unsuspecting Gaul in the face.

The brown cat yowled in surprise as Ignitus jumped on his back. Cyril tackled Gaul and the two wrestled on the ground, hissing and spitting, as they clawed at each other.

Red was about to help Gaul when he noticed Spyro. "You!" He hissed through his gnarled jaw.

"And here I was hoping you wouldn't remember me." Spyro meowed nervously. What am I gonna do now? He wondered, seeing the fury in Reds eyes.

"I couldn't forget you." Red growled, slowly approaching Spyro. "Not after what you've done to me."

"Couldn't we just let the past stay the past?" Spyro asked backing away from Red.

"Don't worry, all will be forgiven," Red assured. "As soon as I kill you."

"I didn't want to have to do this again." Spyro groaned. Taking a deep breath, Spyro blew a stream of fire right at Red.

"That's not gonna work this time." Red snarled. To Spyro's surprise, Red also blew a stream of fire from his mouth. When the two streams hit they both burst into smoke.

Red fired another stream and Spyro countered with his own, creating another puff of smoke. This continued happening several times, Spyro's flames becoming slowly weaker with each breath.

If this keeps up I'm gonna be burned to a crisp. He thought as he deflected another attack. What am I gonna do? That's when the smoke gave Spyro an idea. If fire clashing makes smoke, then what about fire clashing with ice? He wondered.

Red fired another stream of fire and Spyro countered again, but this time he breathed of ice. When the two attacks collided a huge mist of steam covered the area.

Spyro took this as his chance. Running through the steam in the direction he remembered Red was standing, he rammed right into him. He knocked Red right off his paws and stood over him. He then began to rake his claws across his soft underbelly.

Red yowled in shock and pain.

Spyro decided that was enough. He jumped off Red and watched him as he got to his paws and ran out of the alley. The brown cat followed him looking like it got a real shredding from Ignitus.

All that was left was Gaul. Spyro looked around and saw Ignitus standing by one of the walls. He was in front of Cyril, who was lying on his side, a deep cut along his flank. Spyro tried to run over to them but was knocked over by Gaul running past, a limp Cynder dangling from his jaws.

"Cynder!" Spyro exclaimed, running after Gaul.

"Spyro, no!" Ignitus called after him. Spyro ignored him and followed Gaul out of the alley. But Spyro could already tell that if he didn't do something soon Gaul, with his longer legs, would get away.

Before Spyro could come up with anything, the ground in front of him suddenly shot up blocking his path. "Cynder!" He yowled, trying to climb over the new wall.

"Spyro, it's too late, she's gone." Ignitus meowed from behind Spyro.

"But we have to save her." Spyro meowed urgently.

"We have no idea where they're taking her." Ignitus pointed out. "To follow would be foolish."  
"But they might hurt her." Spyro meowed.

"I doubt that." Ignitus sighed.

"And why's that?" Spyro asked.

"Because she's their boss's daughter." Ignitus meowed.

"Then why would they kidnap her?" Spyro asked.

"It was probably more of a rescue mission." Ignitus meowed.

"What could they have been rescuing her from?" Spyro asked.

"Us." Ignitus meowed as he turned away and headed back down the alley.

"What do you mean Ignitus?" Spyro asked, following Ignitus down the alley.

"Let's help Cyril, then I'll explain everything." Ignitus meowed. Ignitus padded back over to Cyril who was still lying on his side. Spyro noticed that his flank was now covered in a thin sheet of ice.

"So we finally get a bargaining tool and we've already lost it." Cyril groaned.

"I see Gaul's gotten stronger since our last fight." Ignitus murmured. "Oh well; come on I'll help you back to your nest." Helping Cyril to his paws, he led him inside. Spyro slowly followed them.

Inside Ignitus lied Cyril on the nest Cynder had just been in, the ground around it completely covered in shattered ice. Ignitus sat down, and Spyro did the same.

"Alright Spyro, what do you want to know first?" Ignitus asked, curling his tail over his paws.

"Why would they feel the need to rescue Cynder from you?" Spyro asked instantly.

"As I said before, she's their boss's daughter and they had to protect her." Ignitus meowed.

"What were they protecting her from?" Spyro asked.

"Like before, us." Ignitus sighed.

"What's wrong with her being near us?" Spyro asked.

"Because we're their enemy, and they didn't want to leave us any type of leverage." Cyril growled.

"What do you mean we're their enemy?" Spyro asked.

"Have you not noticed the war going on all around the city?" Cyril snarled.

"There's no war going on near my house." Spyro meowed.

"You never told me he was a house cat." Cyril growled, glaring at Ignitus.

"We're not on that subject right now." Ignitus meowed. "How long will it take for that wound to heal?"

"It should be better in about half an hour." Cyril muttered.

"We'll have to leave as soon as it is, or else we might not get out of here at all." Ignitus meowed.

"What do you mean?" Spyro asked feeling tense.

"Now that they know where we are they won't pass this chance up to kill us." Cyril meowed bluntly.


	9. Chapter 9

"Alright, while we're here, let's strategize about how we'll escape" Ignitus meowed. "Obviously they have cats watching us for if we try to run. Is there another way out of the alley?"

"Well of course there is; I'd never live somewhere without a proper escape route." Cyril growled. Twitching his tail, he pointed to a stack of boxes in the back of the den. "There's a storm drain right behind those boxes."

"Good. Spyro, help me move them." Ignitus meowed getting up and padding toward the boxes.

"No; I'm going after Cynder." Spyro meowed evenly.

"What?" Ignitus exclaimed turning around to face Spyro.

"I'm going after Cynder." Spyro repeated. "I'm not leaving my only friend with a cat like Red."

"Red's the least of her problems." Cyril growled. "Going after her is suicide; you'll be going right into the heart of the enemy territory."

"There is no enemy territory for me." Spyro meowed, determined not to let them stop him.

"They won't see it that way if you're trying to catnap their leader's daughter." Ignitus meowed. "Besides, you can't even defend yourself."

"I was able to beat Red." Spyro insisted.

"Red's a coward!" Cyril snarled. "The moment he loses the advantage he runs away."

"Spyro, you don't understand how foolish it would be to go after her." Ignitus meowed. "If you go, neither Cyril nor I can go with you, and there's little chance we'll ever meet again."

"Then I guess this is good-bye because I'm going." Spyro meowed. "Cynder helped me discover my powers and they mean nothing if I can't even save her with what little I have."

"There's no changing your mind then?"

"No; I'm going and that's that."

"Alright, good luck." Ignitus sighed. "But let me give you one last lesson before you go."

Spyro sat and stared at Ignitus quietly; ready for what might be his final lesson.

"No matter where you are there's always another way out, as long as you know what you're looking at." With that Ignitus padded away and began to move the boxes away from the storm drain.

"Anything from you, Cyril?" Spyro asked turning to the ice cat.

"Just a bet." Cyril meowed gruffly. "If you come out of this alive I'll help you master your ice, and if you don't… well then there's nothing in it for me."

"I'll take that bet." Spyro purred. "And you better be ready to teach when we next meet."

"Just get out of here already." Cyril growled, and amused glint in his eyes.

Spyro quickly padded out of the cardboard den. Don't worry Cynder, I'm coming. He thought as he exited the alley.

The moment Spyro turned the corner something red tackled him knocking him on his back. He instantly rolled to his paws to come face to face with Flame. "What do you want now?" Spyro snarled.

"I'm here to make you pay for the fool you've made of my father." Flame hissed the fur on his shoulders rising.

"I don't have time to deal with you; I have to save Cynder."

"Cynder; what do you want with my mate?"

"Your mate?" Spyro gasped. "But you're only kittens."

"Hey, I'm older then you. Besides she'll be my mate soon enough." Flame meowed in a superior tone. "I mean, what cat could resist this awesome face?"

"Oh I know a few." Spyro muttered slowly stepping away from Flame.

"Like that matters; I'd be uninterested in any cat you knew."

"I can see you and your dad are both just as slowwitted as the other, but are you just as slow on your paws as well?" Instantly Spyro dashed across the black path. He looked back to see Flame chasing him and catching up fast. What am I going to do? Spyro wondered, knowing it was only a matter of time before Flame, with his longer legs, caught him.

With no other option Spyro came to an abrupt stop, causing Flame to smack right into him from behind. The two rolled on the ground, but Spyro, having expected the collision, quickly recovered and continued running.

Spyro turned down an alley hoping to find an escape. But the alley was almost completely empty. There were only a few boxes and a large metal garbage bin. "No, I'm trapped." Spyro hissed in annoyance.

"Hurry, up here!" Spyro looked up at an open window to see a pink kitten standing in it. She was gesturing for Spyro to come in.

With no other options, Spyro jumped through the window. He landed in a large pink room. The carpet was pink; the walls were pink. Just about everything in the room was pink, including the pink kitten with the yellow underbelly and ears who was now sitting next to him. She looked to be just a little younger then him and she had a small purple tuft of fur on her head as well as a shiny yellow color around her neck with a red heart tag hanging on it.

"Thanks for helping me." Spyro meowed catching his breath.

"What do you mean helping you?" The pink kitten asked, looking confused.

"Didn't you call me in here to help me hide from the red cat?"

I didn't see any red cat; I just called you in because you're cute."

Oh." Spyro mewed unable to think of anything else to say. "Uh… well thanks anyways. My name's Spyro."

"I'm Ember." The pink kitten mewed stepping closer to Spyro, making him feel uncomfortable.

"Um… I really should get going now; I'm in the middle of something really important."

"What's it about?" Ember asked, blocking Spyro from the window.

"I'm on a rescue mission." Spyro meowed figuring the only way past was to explain things to her.

"It sounds dangerous."

"Extremely."

"Can I come?"

"No; this is no job for a house cat." Spyro meowed hoping he looked enough like a stray that ember wouldn't guess he was a housed cat himself.

"You're a stray?" Ember mewed, only seeming more interested.

"Uh… yes a very dangerous stray. Cats are always trying to kill me, but not one has succeeded yet. Now I have to leave before they discover you helped me or you'll be in serious danger." Spyro meowed, making things up as he went.

"But you were being followed so what if they already know I helped you; they could come after me anyways." Ember meowed, the fear plain in her tone. "Please take me with you."

"But where I'm going it's far more dangerous."

"Please." Ember mewed, her eyes pleading.

"Fine." Spyro sighed. I can't believe I just scared an innocent kitten out of her own home.

"Yay!" Ember exclaimed jumping out the window.

"Hey, ember, wait u; this isn't a game!" Spyro called following Ember out the window.


	10. Chapter 10

"Ember, keep up." Spyro groaned as again Ember stopped, distracted by something. The two of them had been traveling all day but had seen no sign of any other cat. Spyro found this really surprising since Ember had kept them going at such a slow pace.

"But I just saw a big green cat." Ember meowed quickly catching up to Spyro.

"Where?" Spyro asked cautiously.

"They were just sitting in an alley back there." Ember meowed pointing with her tail to the ally they had just passed.

"Stay here." Spyro meowed slowly stalking back toward the alley. He peered just around the corner and saw a large cat with long green fur and a flat face sitting next to a large metal gate.

"Do you know him?" Ember asked from just behind Spyro causing him to hiss in surprise.

"Who's there?" Growled the green cat.

Spyro stayed silent hoping that the green cat would think he had just imagined the hiss.

"Oh, it's just us." Ember meowed walking around the corner.

Is she trying to get us killed? Spyro wondered.

"'Us', but you're only one. That's not an us." The green meowed.

"My friend's on the other side of the corner." Ember meowed. "He's really nice."

"Well have your friend come out so I can meet them." The green cat meowed.

"Can I know your name first?" Ember asked.

"Oh yeah, I'm Gnasty." The green cat meowed.

"I'm Ember." Ember meowed kindly. "I'll be right back. I'm just going to grab my friend." Ember came back around the corner. "Aren't you gonna come out?"

"What's wrong with you?" Spyro hissed highly annoyed with Ember. "That cat could've easily killed you."

"No, he's really nice. Maybe he can help us rescue your friend." Ember meowed.

"Fine." Spyro sighed. He would've just had them run away but he desperate to find Cynder and this cat didn't seem so dangerous.

"Great, come on." Ember meowed dashing back around the corner. Spyro reluctantly followed.

When he turned the corner Gnasty gasped. "Master Malefor, how'd you get so small?"

Spyro jumped and turned around recognizing the name Malefor as the large purple cat from his dream. He looked around but saw no other cats except Ember and Gnasty. When he looked back as Gnasty he was bowing eyes directed at him. "You mean me?" Spyro asked.

"Of course, I'm too smart to be fooled by a kitten disguise. No other cat I know of is purple." Gnasty meowed a self satisfied look on his face. "Mistress Celavent has been waiting for you. She says Gaul just rescued your daughter from the enemy."

"Cynder's here?" Spyro gasped. "Where?"

"Uh… I've been watching the gate all day. The only time I saw her was when Gaul was carrying her in through the gate." Gnasty meowed. "Please don't hurt me for my ignorance."

"Who's Cynder?" Ember asked.

"Cynder's the cat we came to find." Spyro meowed.

"You were looking for her too?" Gnasty asked. "I thought you were off to gain more territory."

"Uh, yeah, we were only looking for her on the way back." Spyro meowed hoping to keep Gnasty helpful. "So she's on the other side of the gate?"

"Yeah, she's probably with Celavent." Gnasty meowed.

"And Celavent is my mate?" Spyro asked hoping the question didn't sound too stupid.

"Of course." Gnasty gave a heavy purr. "And might I say, she's quite a cat."

"Uh… Thank you." Spyro meowed unsure of what the real Malefor would do. "I guess we'll be going then." Both he and Ember padded past Gnasty and through the gate. "Oh, and good job watching the gate."

"See you later Gnasty." Ember mewed passing through the gate after Spyro.

On the other side of the gate was the biggest garden Spyro had ever seen. There were trees and colorful flowers growing everywhere, the grass was tall and soft, and no matter which direction Spyro looked, besides behind him, he couldn't see a house or any walls blocking them in.

"I've never seen anything so open." Ember mewed in awe.

"Come on." Spyro meowed dashing into the cover of a close by bush. He looked back to make sure Ember had followed. She was just pleasantly padding toward the bush. "Get in here!"

"Why?" Ember asked still going at her own pace. "There's nobody here that I can see. Besides they might all think you're this Malefor."

I doubt anyone here is as dumb as Gnasty." Spyro groaned. "Plus some of these cats already know my face."

"Oh yeah, well what are the chances we'll run into one of them?" Ember meowed squeezing into the bush.

"They're pretty high actually." Spyro jumped when he heard the meow behind him. He turned around as quickly as he could and came face to face with the cat he least expected to see.

"Cynder!" Spyro exclaimed.

"What are you doing here, and why'd you bring another house cat?" Cynder hissed in annoyance.

"You're a house cat?" Ember gasped looking at Spyro.

"Not the time Ember." Spyro groaned. He then turned his attention back to Cynder. "We came here to rescue you."

"Rescue you from what? Didn't Ignitus tell you this is where I live?" Cynder asked.

"Well the way they came after you I thought you might be in danger." Spyro meowed awkwardly.

"As you can see I'm fine." Cynder meowed showing Spyro her shoulder so he could see it was completely healed. "Now, both of you get out of here before someone more dangerous finds you." She then began pushing Spyro out of the bush.

When Spyro came out of the bush he bumped into something pure and white. He pulled away a little so he could get a better look and found that it was a pure white cat. She had shockingly ice blue eyes and a pleasant expression, but something about it greatly discomforted Spyro. Cynder came out of the bush, pushing Ember when she spotted the white cat. "Mom?" She gasped.

So that's Celavent. Spyro thought. He could see what Gnasty had mean by she was quite a cat. She was strikingly beautiful.

"Cynder dear, I see you've made some new friends." Celavent meowed cheerily. Her voice sounded so calm and beautiful Spyro found himself almost mesmerized by it. "Where'd you meet them?"

"Uh, they're new, just joined. I was showing them around." Cynder meowed shakily.

"Poor Cynder." Celavent tutted. "And here I was planning on letting them leave here alive if you had told the truth. Oh well, since you were willing to lie for them I'll make sure you don't have to watch them die."

"Wait mom, please let them go." Cynder begged. "They've done nothing wrong and they're only house cats."

"Yes but I hear this one" She delicately slid a paw along Spyro's muzzle. He had never felt anything so soft and gentile. "is Ignitus' apprentice, and has the ability over fire and ice." As she finished speaking Spyro felt a sharp stinging where Celavent's Paw had been. He lifted a paw and ran it across his muzzle. When he looked at his paw it was covered in blood.

How'd she do that? He wondered. I never felt her claws come out.

"I'll tell you what, pick one of them to live and I'll let them go while the other stays and dies." Celavent meowed. "I think that's better than two dead kittens."

"You can't expect me to choose like that. I hardly know the pink one as is." Cynder meowed.

"I think that makes the choice easier. Just choose for her to die." Celavent meowed her voice as kind as ever. "Besides, I kind of like this little guy. I think I'll keep him around as my little 'plaything'."

"Run!" Cynder exclaimed shoving Spyro and Ember toward the gate.

Before they could take more then a few paw steps Celavent was already in front of them. "Oh dear, now that you tried to run I can't trust you enough to keep you." She mewed almost sulkily. "I guess that means I'll just have to kill you both."

Cynder dashed past Spyro and tackled Celavent. "Run!" She hissed trying her hardest to hold her mother down.

Both Spyro and Ember ran as fast as they could toward the gate. As they came through on the other side Spyro turned to Gnasty. "Make sure nobody on either side of the gate can get though. Especially Celavent." He hissed.

"Yes sir." Gnasty meowed blocking the gate with his body.

"Where are we going now?" Ember asked following Spyro out of the alley.

"I'm taking you home. Then I'm going home myself so I can forget about ever leaving it in the first place." Spyro meowed heading in the direction of Ember's house.


End file.
